GOLF; The Tougher the Challenge, The Better Janzen Likes It

By KAREN CROUSE

Published: June 17, 2007

Tiger Woods is not the only golfer on the leader board who will be stalking his third United States Open title Sunday. Lee Janzen, the champion in 1993 and 1998, was seven strokes back Saturday after his third consecutive three-over-par 73.

He may have a lot of ground to make up, but it would be unwise to count out Janzen, who came back from five strokes down in the final round of his '98 victory. He steps onto the tight Open courses the way Clark Kent steps into a telephone booth: He seems to gain supernatural powers of concentration and the confidence that he can conquer even the most diabolical conditions.

''You have a good tournament at the U.S. Open, it's like Michael Jordan playing in Madison Square Garden,'' said Janzen, 42. ''He has a good game there, and then every time he goes back, he's going to have a good game.''

Janzen was quick to add that he did not see himself as Jordanesque. But he does relish playing courses like Oakmont Country Club that are steeped in history and difficulty. The type of target golf found at most Tour stops does not excite him.

''I like tougher conditions because it's more course management, more shot making,'' he said.

Never mind the tall rough and all that. The weekly birdie-fests on the Tour do not prepare the golfers for the mental challenge that courses like Oakmont present, and perhaps nobody appreciates that more than Janzen.

''I get a little peace knowing the U.S. Open is going to eliminate more than half the field before the first day, because they're out there hitting balls, hitting balls and chipping and putting and talking themselves into how hard it's going to be and everything else,'' he said.

The cerebral Janzen shared a little secret he learned on his way to prevailing at the 1993 Open at Baltusrol and five years later at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

''A straight shot still goes on the fairway, and a well-struck iron is still below the hole and so on,'' he said. ''It's just that the guys that aren't used to making bogeys don't know what to do on the next hole.''

If Janzen has flown under the radar on the Tour for the past two years -- his best finish in 11 starts in 2007 is a tie for 16th -- it is because he has been revamping his swing. It has taken 19 months, but he seems comfortable with the changes.

''I won the U.S. Open twice not swinging probably as good as I'm swinging now,'' he said. ''Technically speaking, I'm better.''

He added: ''If I don't ever win it again, I've still done it twice, and that's elite company. There's only five people who have ever won more. Tiger Woods hasn't won any more than I have. Yet.''

TWO BRITONS AIM FOR TITLE -- Paul Casey and Justin Rose, both Englishmen, will continue their bids to end Europe's drought in golf's major championships Sunday, when they go into the final round of the United States Open three shots off the lead.

Casey has already shown that he has what it takes to tame the Oakmont course; his 66 on Friday in the second round was the best score of the tournament on this fearsome par-70 layout.

Rose has shown the steadiness that is always cited as the key to victory in the Open. Of a possible victory, Casey said: ''What would it mean? It would mean the world. It would mean everything.'' (AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE)